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Devonshire Regiment
Regular Battalions: - 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 3rd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
Territorial Force: - 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.
- 5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 7th (Cyclist) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 15th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 16th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/7th (Cyclist) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 3/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 3/5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 3/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 3/7th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
Kitchener's New Army: - 2nd Garrison Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 1st Garrison Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 10th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 11th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 13th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 14th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 51st (Graduated) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 52nd Graduated Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 53rd Young Soldiers Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
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Want to know more about the Devonshire Regiment? There are:7197 items tagged Devonshire Regiment available in our Library
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1206335 Pte. Joshua William Kelly 5th Btn Devonshire Regiment  Joss Kelly enlisted at Douglas on 20th of Feb 1917, aged 18 years 6 months. It was his second attempt at enlistment. He was 5' 3 1/2" and weighed 7 1/2 stone. The recruiting sergeant sent him away the first time, telling him he should come back when he'd grown a bit.
He served in Palestine and France, where he was wounded at Rheims on 20th of Jul 1918. His record states: 'While advancing, a shell burst in close proximity and he was wounded in the leg'. Nature of Disability: 'Right foot [blown] off, stump gangrenous and full of maggots'. Treatment of Disability: 'Operation 24 Jul 1918, amputation [of right leg] 6 inches below [the] knee'.
He was discharged as an invalid..
Like a lot of injured ex soldiers, he wasn't able to return to his profession as a Clothier's Assistant - his former employer wouldn't employ a cripple - so he made his living working various menial jobs.
He was my great-grandfather. He lived to be 80. I suppose he was one of the lucky one's. He went over-the-top, aged 19, was blown up and left for dead three days in no-mans land. But he did at least survive.
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1206041 Pte. Charles Davey 8th Battalion Devonshire Regiment (d.10th April 1917) Pte Charles Davey was my Great Uncle Charlie. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery in France.
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264357 Pte. Fred Challacombe 1st Btn. Devonshire Regiment Fred Challacombe served in the Boar War and WWI in Gallipoli and France with the 1st Devonshires.
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263809 Pte. Charles Philip Rowe 2nd Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.29th Mar 1918) Charles Rowe was my great-uncle, and I am trying to find more about him and how he died.
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262071 William Percy Oliver 8th Btn. Devonshire Regiment My grandfather, William Oliver, was in the 8th Devonshire Regiment during the First World War. He arrived in France on 27th of July 1915. He survived the war and was demobbed on 21st January 1919.
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261000 Pte. Sampson Edward "Samson" Bastable 9th (Service) Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.4th Jan 1917) He was a bricklayer, a single man. According to the Civil Registration Birth Index 1837-1915, he was born in 1883, somewhere between January and March.
According to the De Ruvigny Roll of Honour, he was born 31st December 1885, but I have found this to be wrong, as proved by the 1891, 1901, and 1911 censuses. I wonder why or how they got the date wrong. On some records though he is listed as Samson (without the p) instead of Sampson.
He has two service records. One says he was Soldier Number 23343, Private, South Staffordshire Regiment. The other says he was Soldier Number 30195, Private, 9th Service Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.
He is buried at the Munich Trench British Cemetery at Beaumont-Hamel, plot C 22.
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260225 Sgt. Francis J. Roberts 9th Btn. Devonshire Regiment  Francis Roberts was born in Plymouth, Devon on 5 May 1894. He served with the Devonshire Regiment from 1914 to 1918. Later, during WWII, he served with the Home Guard, 5th Btn., St. Austell in Cornwall from 2nd of November 1942 until 31st of December 1944.
According to my research, original records of the Devonshire Regiment were destroyed by enemy bombing during WWII. I have therefore extracted from books, The Bloody Eleventh and C. T. Atkinson, The Devonshire Regiment 1914-1918, the following information in trying to trace were my father was. Certain facts (e.g., Mametz and Italy) were given by F. J. Roberts, otherwise one presumes he could have been in many or all of the places mentioned. The chapter and page numbers cited below are for the Devonshire Regiment Book:
- Assuming a volunteer joined on 31st of January 1916, it is thought his training took up to the usual period of 6 months. Therefore, he would not have been sent to France until July or August of that year.
- Chapter XII, page 146: On 19th July 1916, having its front line at Mametz (map ref J7), the Borderers on the left, then the 9th Devons and the 2nd Gordons beyond them.
- Page 148/9: In Shrine Alley, which swept round Mansel Copse (Picardy), the company on the right of the 9th Devons had to move. Assembly trenches had therefore been dug 250 yards further back, and in these the troops formed up on the evening of 30 June. The 9th Devons had A and B companies in front and company C in second line as support.
- Page 153: From 2 July to 5 July, the 9th Devons were withdrawn for reorganisation.
- Chapter XIII, page 154: On 11 July 1916 at Bazentin (map J7), yards from the German trenches on the ridge and between Bazentine and Lonueval, the 9th Devons were the first to go into the new front line through Fricourt and Marlborough Wood to Caterpillar Valley. The second stage of The Battle of the Somme, the contest for the main ridge, was ushered in on 14 July. In the interval, large drafts had been received and the 9th Devons had 486 men coming from other West Country and Southern regiments.
- Page 155: In the 20th Brigade, the 8th Devons on the right, the Borders on the left, and the Gordons in support the of the 9th were holding the whole of the brigade’s front until the attack began and being drawn into reserve as the other units passed through.
- Page 167: Since the capture of Mametz (map J7), there was less fighting for the 9th Devons as construction work was carried on at Ailly sur Somme.
- Page 175: On 3 September, whilst the Division had 5 weeks rest, the 8th and 9th Devons, in the middle of a football match, were unexpectedly summoned back to the fray at Ypres (Ieper) or Vimy or Ploegsteert. They embussed at Buire. The 9th led the way, debussing at Mametz (map J7), then to Montauban (map J7) near Toulose.
- Page 177: The attack of the 9th Devons was gallantly launched, but they had a painful and tedious march to their position near Ginchy (map J7) and were in support of the Gordons. It was a bitter memory for the 8th and 9th Devons.
- Page 181: Near Morval (map K7) and route D20.
- Page 193: On 21 November, both battalions tramped to Bertrancourt and on the 23rd to Mailly Maillet (map I7) near Abbeville, and received reinforcements of 220 men.
- Page 235/6: On 1 January 1917, the 9th Devons were at Hope Post. There was fighting. However, from 20 January until the end of February, they were in reserve and training. Twenty-four officers and 203 enlisted men joined the 9th, which now mustered a total of 46 officers and 1,030 enlisted.
- Page 241: On 8 and 9 March, the Battalion was in Mailly Maillet, training and working.
- Page 242: From 21 to 26 March, they were in the front line, and the 9th relieved the Gordons on the right of the Brigade.
- Page 243 In April, the fight for Ecoust (map K6) near Arras was entrusted to both the 8th and the 9th, and after their success at Ecoust they were out of the line until 20 April.
- Page 250: On 7 May, the Gordons came up to attack Bullecourt near Ecoust (map K6). Twenty-two men were killed and 7 were listed as missing. Ten men awarded the Military Medal.
- Page 254: From May to September, there was a long spell of quiet. At Bailleulost, then Dickebusch, then Reninghelst in Belgium, the 8th and 9th Devons were inspected, then entrained for Proven. At Steenvoorde ( west of Hazbrouck), training took place at St. Martin au Leert. On 29 September, with a strength approximately 1,000 men, they proceeded to Abeele, 17 km. west of Ypres.
- Page 284: On 4 and 5 October, they were carrying parties and resting at Reninghelst.
- Page 288: On 24 October, the 9th relieved two battalions of the 14th Division in the front line, holding 200 yards of line on the right of the Menin road during Third Ypres, then crawling back to Blaringhem (near Hazebrouck-Nord, map I3). October was the worst month the 8th and 9th Devons ever experienced. The 9th listed 143 killed or missing and 151 wounded (page 293).
- Chapter XXV, page 322: On 17 November 1917, they were resting at Le Croquet (near Saint Ghislam, Belgium) and were inspected by the King of Belgium.
- Page 326: Both the 8th and 9th were transferred to Legnano, Italy. They were then moved to Giavera and later to Piave.
- Page 425: The 8th and 9th were held in reserve, with the 9th going into the trenches at the end of January 1918.
- Page 437: In April 1918, the 9th was billeted at Montecchio Maggiore.
- Page 438: On 13 September, they were moved back to France, first to St. Riquier, then to Canchy (near Abbeville).
- Page 435/6: On 8 October 1918, they were near Ponchaux. On 9 October, they were at Buitry Wood and Elincourt. On 23 October, they were fighting at Selle in Picardy. On 3 November, they were east of Bois l’Eveque. On 7 November, at Pommereuil, they fought their last fight. At the beginning of January 1919, the 9th Devons moved to Englefontaine, and on 27 January 1919, they were presented their King’s Colours. Demobilization began in January, but on 1st March 1919, 250 men of the 9th joined the 5th DCLI as part of the army of occupation.
  
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258453 Pte. Sampson Edward Bastable 9th Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.4th Jan 1917) Sampson Bastable was the son of Charles Edward and Ruth Bastable, sibling to Charles, Mary, William and Samuel. He was born 31st December 1885 in Smethwick, was educated at Old Hill Council School. He enlisted on the 5th of April 1916 and fought from the 6th August 1916.
He is buried at Munich Trench Cemetery at Beaumont-Hamel.
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258319 Lt. Geoffrey Eugene Tracey 9th Battalion, Machine Gun Section Devonshire Regiment (d.25th September 1915) Geoffrey Tracey was the eldest son of Dr (Henry) Eugene and (Emily) Alice Tracey. He was born 25 October 1895 in Willand.
He was in France from 27th of July 1915, and was killed at Loos. His name is on a panel for the Devon Regiment at Dud Corner Cemetery near Loos in France. His name is in St Mary's Church, Willand. He was an Uncle of David Church.
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258053 Pte. Albert John Facey 6th Btn. Devonshire Regiment Bert Facey served with the 6th Devonshire Regiment.
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257704 Pte. Joseph Worsnip 5th Battalion Devonshire Regiment Joseph Worsnip was my great uncle. He served with the Devonshire Regiment and the Royal Defence Corps was discharged from service on 12th of January 1918 due to wounds received.
He was awarded the Silver War Badge for his trouble.
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257387 Pte. Arthur Harvey Howes 20th Hussars (d.2nd May 1918) Arthur Howes was a proud gentle man.
He was an impeccable cavalry man and his parents would have been very proud of him.
He was a Cheltenham soldier transferred from the 20th Hussars to the 1st Devonshires where unfortunately he lost his life in the Neippe Forest.
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256897 Pte. George Abrahams 9th Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.30th Sep 1915) George Abrahams served with the 9th Battalion Devonshire Regiment in WW1. He died 30th of September 1915 and is remembered on the Loos Memorial Panel.
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256639 Pte. Albert Henry Shears 16th Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.2nd Sep 1918) I know very little of my distant relative, Albert Henry Shears.
He was the youngest of three children of Alfred Ernest Shears and Thomasine Trevise nee Toy
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255732 Pte. Noah Aplin 8th Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.25th Sep 1915) The story is that Noah Aplin was fighting on the front line with the 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment in Loos.
There was a break in firing, Noah stood and removed his helmet to take his gas mask off and was shot in the forehead by a German sniper.
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255581 Pte. Arthur Harvey Howes 1st Devonshire Regiment 20th Hussars (d.2nd May 1918) Arthur Howes was a Cheltenham soldier born in 1888. He enrolled in 1909. He was a proud man. He lived with my great grandparents after losing his mum at an early age. Arthur worked in Cheltenham train station before enrolling to the Army. He is mentioned in the 20th Hussars War Diaries checking trenches around the Menin Ridge and also in the hard back book 'Leaving All That Was Dear'.
Arthur was transferred to the 1st Devonshire Regiment around November 1917. He was quoted by my grandmother, who was 10 years of age, saying after his leave he really had a bad feeling about returning to the battle fields.
He did return and fight until loosing his life in the forest of Neippe. He lies in Morbeque Cemetery France. And we thank him greatly for giving up his life.
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255262 Pte. Bernard Fred Lane Devonshire Regiment (d.15th Oct 1918) Born in 1880 in Wellington, Somerset, Bernard Lane served with the Devonshire Regiment and the Labour Corps.
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255186 Pte. Claude E. Cole 16th Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.3rd September 1918) Claude Cole served with the 16th (North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. He lost his life on the 3rd of September 1918. Aged 21 he was the son of Alfred and Dorothy M. Cole of 224 Pinhoe Road, Exeter.
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255007 Pte. Wilfred Keep 2nd Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.31st May 1918) Wilfred Keep was the last of 8 children born to Nicholas James Keep and Fanny Bishop.
He was killed in the Battle of Aisne and is commemorated at the Soissons Memorial being just one of the 4000 who have no known grave.
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254126 Pte Thomas Paddon 1st/4th Btn. Devonshire Regiment (d.17th July 1917) Tom Paddon was born 1877 in Tiverton, Devon and died in Iraq in 1917
He was husband to Selina. Father to 5 children Ellen b. 1901, William b. 1903, Tom b. 1905, James b. 1909 and Harold b. 1911.
Before the war he was a Coal Merchants Yardman in Tiverton, Devon.
He started the War in the 1st/4th Devonshire Regiment, finding himself in the Middle East.
On 3rd of February 1917 the 1/4th Devons and 1/9th Gurkhas led a dazzlingly successful attack on the Hai Salient in the Turkish line south of Kut. Victory came at a price, of 15 officers and 403 men who attacked, only 5 officers and 186 men emerged unscathed. The survivors of the 1/4th spent the rest of the war in Amara and Baquba (north of Baghdad) building roads, guarding prisoners and administering refugee camps.
Tom was transferred to the 2nd Garrison Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers in Mesopotamia.
He is buried in the North Gate Cemetery in Baghdad, Iraq.
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